One of the National Football League' s most memorable games was the 1985 match between the Washington Redskins and the New York Giants, when Giants defensive player Lawrence Taylor tackled quarterback Joe Theisman with such force that Theisman's leg snapped in two, bone and blood visible on the field.

And this is literally the only time a tib/fib crack has happened on the field in NFL history.

Meanwhile it seems to happen every year in soccer, and is considered an accepted part of the game by some, getting "stuck in" can result in leg snaps.

Mullen destroying Zakuani in MLS, or Shawcross's assault on Ramsey in the Premiership. Two in the past 3 years. I know there's been more.

So if you want to argue the NFL's too violent, you sure picked a weird form of evidence, citing something that happens more routinely in soccer than in American football.

uncoveror:I suspect that most Americans will not care that our modern day gladiators die young, or suffer in old age as long as they entertain us. Football players on TV are disposable heroes.

A records-based study of retired players conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) concludes that they have a much lower death rate than men in the general population, contrasting the notion that football players don't live as long....

While the article is silly to cite that play as an example of NFL brutality (the subconcussive effects of repeated helmet-to-helmet collisions is what they ought to be talking about) compound dual lower leg bone fractures are pretty common in the NFL.

Maybe I'm in the minority, but the violence isn't a major draw for me. Sure, I get excited by a really good hit, and can't wait for some defensive end to wipe that smirk off Aaron Rodgers' face, but I wouldn't watch for long if that's all there was to it.

I think it's a lot more fun to watch a fantastic running back avoid the big hit, or the anticipation that quickly builds when the quarterback throws deep, and two men far downfield deftly fight for the ball with virtually no contact between them. Or an elite linebacker reads the offense and jumps the route before the quarterback knows what's happening.

Maybe most fans don't pay attention to the chess game between opposing coaches, and are just waiting for a crash, like race fans are purported to do. I don't know if that stereotype is true either, but those sports would seem awfully boring to me if that's all I was watching for. Kind of like watching a baseball game and not caring anything about what happens unless someone hits a home run.

bubbaprog:Generation_D: And this is literally the only time a tib/fib crack has happened on the field in NFL history.

No. Several happen every year.

Here's an example, and here's an example, and here's an example.

While the article is silly to cite that play as an example of NFL brutality (the subconcussive effects of repeated helmet-to-helmet collisions is what they ought to be talking about) compound dual lower leg bone fractures are pretty common in the NFL.

OK, thanks I guess I was wrong. But still, soccer has these every year as well.

I agree with helmet-helmet being an issue. But the author wasn't going into that, they were citing Theismann's Leg as the ultimate example.

Athletes get hurt, thats part of their job. Part of why they paid so much.

I've been sick of the lame jump shots with no arm wraparound for years now. And scale back the helmet & shoulder pad protection. Every idiot who leaves his feet, leads with the head, and refuses to use his arms should be banned for 1 game, then 2, etc. I bet the problem would disappear within 1 season.

And if that doesn't work, then loosen up the shirts a little. Many players think they have to go for the kill shot because the giant shoulder pads without any loose fabric to grab forces them to hit like crashing rams just to have a chance of stopping the other guy.

fickenchucker:Football can be saved if traditional tackling is enforced.

I've been sick of the lame jump shots with no arm wraparound for years now. And scale back the helmet & shoulder pad protection. Every idiot who leaves his feet, leads with the head, and refuses to use his arms should be banned for 1 game, then 2, etc. I bet the problem would disappear within 1 season.

And if that doesn't work, then loosen up the shirts a little. Many players think they have to go for the kill shot because the giant shoulder pads without any loose fabric to grab forces them to hit like crashing rams just to have a chance of stopping the other guy.

fickenchucker:Football can be saved if traditional tackling is enforced.

I've been sick of the lame jump shots with no arm wraparound for years now. And scale back the helmet & shoulder pad protection. Every idiot who leaves his feet, leads with the head, and refuses to use his arms should be banned for 1 game, then 2, etc. I bet the problem would disappear within 1 season.

And if that doesn't work, then loosen up the shirts a little. Many players think they have to go for the kill shot because the giant shoulder pads without any loose fabric to grab forces them to hit like crashing rams just to have a chance of stopping the other guy.

Stop it.

The players move to fast to break down, plant your feet, and wrap. Don't get me wrong, I understand 100% of what you are saying and, in a perfect world, every tackle is set-wrap-lift, but there is a reason why nobody tackles like that and it has nothing to do with glory. It is about getting the motherfarker on the ground ASAP and in any way possible.

It is the defining aspect of gridiron football ... the urgency to stop the ball carrier NOW!

grinding_journalist: It is impossible, as a modern athlete, to be unaware that there are risks involved with playing your sport. So long as you aren't being forced to play football, what's the problem?

Yes... as of like 4 years ago. Which may be why participation in Pop Warner has fallen off since then.

Generation_D:Meanwhile it seems to happen every year in soccer, and is considered an accepted part of the game by some, getting "stuck in" can result in leg snaps.

To be fair there are many, many more teams playing fitbaw at a professional level around the world than there are American football teams in one league. It's to be expected that over the course of time there will be a greater number of injuries and deaths on the pitch overall.

Nevertheless, it does certainly happen. Many players have been seriously injured and a few killed by highly aggressive tackles and accidental collisions. There have been quite a few more fatalities on the pitch due to serious cardiac issues. The last I remember was Phil O'Donnell's tragic collapse from a heart attack a few years back while playing for Motherwell. Down south, Fabrice Muamba's collapse on the pitch while playing for Bolton earlier this year was a terrible shock for the nation. Fortunately he has since recovered but it was touch and go for a while.

As for the first, the rules regarding violent conduct are generally strict. Of course accidents do happen. The second is much more of a threat. Players running constantly over two 45 minute halves are bound to put a strain on their heart. Every club conducts a thorough medical examination before signing a new player and continues to monitor their health, but sometimes a minor problem can be missed which leaves a player vulnerable to strain and exhaustion.

It's a horrible tragedy when a player dies or nearly dies while playing. Sadly with the constant physical strain and contact that is a necessary aspect of sport, particularly at that high a level it is impossible to guarantee absolute safety at all times.

Rest in peace to all of those lost on the pitch and those others taken from us too young from illness and other factors. You'll never walk alone. And for the fans lost at Ibrox, at Hillsborough, and other equally senseless tragedies.